Metazoan parasites of freshwater ornamental fishes

Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research

ABSTRACT This study aimed to characterize the metazoan parasitic fauna associated with freshwater farmed ornamental fish in Southern Brazil. Between July 2014 and January 2015, a total of 423 fish belonging to nine species were examined: Pterophylum scalare, Betta splendens, two varieties of Carassius auratus, Danio rerio, Xiphophorus helleri, two varieties of Xiphophorus maculatus, Poecilia sphenops, Tanichthys albonubes and Puntius sachsii. In each fish collection, the water quality parameters were measured. Specimens were obtained from three ornamental fish farms located in three micro-regions in the State of Santa Catarina (Araquari, Biguaçu and Camboriú). Parasitological indexes were obtained after qualitative and quantitative parasitological analysis. Monogenean parasites, nematodes, and cestodes were found in all facilities. Nevertheless, nematodes and monogeneans presented 100% of prevalence in P. scalare from Araquari. From the analyzed species, P. scalare showed the highest parasite richness.